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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Can aged microplastics be transport vectors for organic micropollutants? – Sorption and phytotoxicity tests
ClearSorption of organic compounds by aged polystyrene microplastic particles
Researchers tested the sorption of organic compounds by aged polystyrene microplastic particles and found that weathering increased their sorption capacity, meaning environmental aging makes microplastics more effective at accumulating and transporting pollutants.
Adsorption behaviors of chlorpyrifos on UV aged microplastics
Researchers investigated how UV aging affects the adsorption of the pesticide chlorpyrifos on biodegradable and non-degradable microplastics, finding that UV irradiation significantly modified plastic surfaces and enhanced their capacity to carry organic pollutants.
Aging of microplastics increases their adsorption affinity towards organic contaminants
Researchers found that microplastics that have been weathered by sunlight and environmental exposure absorb significantly more chemical pollutants than fresh microplastics, with up to a 4.7-fold increase in adsorption. Ultraviolet exposure changes the surface chemistry of the plastics, making them stickier for contaminants. This matters because most microplastics in nature are weathered, meaning they may be carrying more toxic chemicals into the food chain than laboratory studies using new plastics would suggest.
Laboratory Studies about Microplastic Aging and Its Effects on the Adsorption of Chlorpyrifos
Researchers simulated the aging of six types of microplastics in freshwater and seawater to study how weathering affects their ability to adsorb the pesticide chlorpyrifos. The study found that UV-driven aging caused surface cracks, pores, and chemical changes in the microplastics, and the aging process increased their capacity to adsorb chlorpyrifos, suggesting that weathered microplastics in the environment may carry higher concentrations of pesticide pollutants.
Change in adsorption behavior of aquatic humic substances on microplastic through biotic and abiotic aging processes
Researchers found that both UV irradiation and microbial aging of polyethylene microplastics significantly altered their surface chemistry, changing how aquatic humic substances adsorb onto the plastic surface and highlighting the importance of weathering state in assessing microplastic-contaminant interactions.
Microplastics and organic contaminants: Investigation of the sorption process on different polymer types
Researchers investigated sorption of organic contaminants onto microplastics collected from environmental samples, finding that real-world MPs had different sorption capacities than laboratory-prepared particles due to surface aging, biofouling, and co-sorption of natural organic matter.
Aging Process of Microplastics in the Environment
This review examines how natural environmental processes — UV radiation, physical abrasion, chemical reactions, and biodegradation — alter the surface, shape, and chemistry of microplastics over time, and how these changes affect their ability to absorb and transport other pollutants. Understanding microplastic aging is critical because weathered particles behave differently than fresh plastic, often becoming more hazardous as pollutant carriers in ecosystems.
Interaction of Microplastics with Emerging Organic Pollutants: A Study on Atrazine Adsorption and Phytotoxicity
Researchers studied how aged and pristine polyethylene microplastics adsorb the herbicide atrazine and whether this combination affects plant seed germination. Aged microplastics absorbed significantly more atrazine than new ones due to surface changes from UV exposure, and the atrazine-loaded aged particles inhibited lettuce germination by up to 34%. The findings suggest that weathered microplastics in agricultural environments may amplify the harmful effects of pesticide contamination.
Surface characteristics and adsorption properties of polypropylene microplastics by ultraviolet irradiation and natural aging
This study examined how aging and UV light change the surface properties of polypropylene microplastics and their ability to absorb other pollutants. UV-aged microplastics absorbed significantly more of a common dye pollutant, while naturally aged particles absorbed less due to biological film buildup. Understanding how microplastics change over time in the environment matters because aged particles may carry different levels of harmful chemicals than fresh ones.
Influence of aging on the affinity between microplastics and organic contaminants
Researchers investigated how UV and UV+H2O2 aging affects the capacity of polystyrene microplastics to adsorb and release pesticides and other organic contaminants, finding that aging-induced surface changes significantly altered adsorption affinity and desorption behavior compared to unaged controls.
Adsorption behavior of organic pollutants and metals on micro/nanoplastics in the aquatic environment
This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics in aquatic environments adsorb organic pollutants and metals onto their surfaces, effectively acting as carriers for other contaminants. Researchers found that environmental factors like pH, salinity, and aging of the plastic significantly influence this sorption behavior. The findings raise concerns that microplastics may increase the bioavailability and toxicity of chemical pollutants in waterways.
The effect of polymer aging on the uptake of fuel aromatics and ethers by microplastics
Researchers found that UV weathering and aging of microplastics significantly increased their sorption of fuel-related aromatic contaminants (BTEX) and ethers compared to virgin plastics. The results suggest that aged microplastics in the environment, which have higher surface oxidation, accumulate higher concentrations of fuel-related contaminants than fresh plastic particles.
Photoaging of polyethylene microplastic and its effect on the chlorpyrifos adsorption
This study examined how UV-B radiation ages polyethylene microplastics over time and how that aging changes their ability to adsorb the pesticide chlorpyrifos. Photoaging modified the surface chemistry and structure of the plastic, altering its interaction with the pesticide, suggesting that weathered microplastics in aquatic environments may carry different — and potentially higher — loads of toxic chemicals than fresh particles. This "Trojan horse" effect is important for understanding how microplastics contribute to broader chemical contamination of waterways.
Mechanistic interpretation of the sorption of terbuthylazine pesticide onto aged microplastics
Researchers investigated how accelerated weathering — using UV irradiation, hydrogen peroxide, and ultrasonic treatment — alters the surface properties of polyethylene microplastics and affects their sorption of the herbicide terbuthylazine. Aged polyethylene particles showed measurably different sorption kinetics and capacities compared to pristine particles, providing mechanistic insight into how environmental aging changes microplastic interactions with organic pollutants like pesticides.
The sorption behaviour of amine micropollutants on polyethylene microplastics – impact of aging and interactions with green seaweed
Researchers studied how long-term aging of polyethylene microplastics changes their ability to bind organic pollutants (amine micropollutants), and how interactions with green seaweed affect this process. Aged microplastics showed different sorption behavior than fresh ones, which has implications for how effectively they transport contaminants through aquatic food webs.
Adsorption of some hazardous aromatic hydrocarbons by various pristine and heat-activated aged microplastics as potential pollutant carriers in aquatic environment
Researchers examined how pristine and heat-aged microplastics of four polymer types adsorb hazardous aromatic hydrocarbons, finding that aging significantly altered adsorption capacity. The results demonstrate that weathered microplastics may act as more effective pollutant vectors than pristine particles in aquatic environments.
UV aging induces colloidal-like behavior in microplastics, mediating contaminant fluxes across interfaces
Researchers showed that UV aging and mechanical stress transform polyethylene microplastics into reactive porous particles with colloidal behavior, developing surface oxidation, increased roughness, and trace metal accumulation — changes that alter how they transport contaminants across water-sediment interfaces.
Photoaging effects on polyethylene microplastics: Structural changes and chlorpyrifos adsorption
Researchers studied how UVB-induced photoaging changes the properties of polyethylene microplastics and their ability to absorb the pesticide chlorpyrifos. They found that aged microplastics absorbed nearly 18% more pesticide than pristine ones, due to the formation of oxygen-containing surface groups, increased surface roughness, and reduced crystallinity. The findings suggest that weathered microplastics in the environment may pose greater risks as carriers of harmful pesticides.
The environmental effects of microplastics and microplastic derived dissolved organic matter in aquatic environments: A review
This review examines how microplastics interact with other pollutants in water and how aging from sunlight and weathering changes their behavior. As microplastics break down, they release dissolved organic matter and develop surface changes that increase their ability to carry harmful chemicals like pesticides and pharmaceuticals. The findings suggest that weathered microplastics in real-world environments may be more dangerous than fresh plastics used in most lab studies.
Insights into the characteristics, adsorption and desorption behaviors of microplastics aged with or without fulvic acid
Researchers investigated how fulvic acid, a key component of dissolved organic matter, influences the aging, adsorption, and desorption behavior of microplastics under UV radiation, finding that water environmental factors significantly alter the surface properties and contaminant-binding capacity of aged microplastics.
Effect of Polymer Aging on Uptake/Release Kinetics of Metal Ions and Organic Molecules by Micro- and Nanoplastics: Implications for the Bioavailability of the Associated Compounds
Researchers developed a theoretical framework to describe how aging and degradation of plastic particles in the environment changes their ability to absorb and release metals and organic contaminants. They found that as plastics weather and break down, their capacity to pick up and later release pollutants increases significantly. The study suggests that the age and condition of microplastics are important factors in determining how much contamination they carry and deliver to living organisms.
Aging characteristics of polylatic acid microplastics and their adsorption on hydrophilic organic pollutants: mechanistic investigations and theoretical calculations
Researchers characterized how polylactic acid microplastics undergo UV and thermal aging in aquatic environments, finding that aging altered surface chemistry, increased hydrophilicity, and enhanced adsorption of heavy metal pollutants—raising concerns about aged biodegradable plastics as carriers of co-contaminants.
Adsorption Behavior and Interaction of Micro-Nanoplastics in Soils and Aquatic Environment
This review examined how micro- and nanoplastics adsorb environmental pollutants in soil and aquatic environments, acting as vectors that transfer and enhance the bioavailability of contaminants. Aging and weathering processes that alter plastic surface properties were identified as key factors influencing adsorption capacity and pollutant interactions.
Laboratory simulation of microplastics weathering and its adsorption behaviors in an aqueous environment: A systematic review
UV photo-oxidation and physical abrasion are the most practical laboratory methods for simulating microplastic weathering; aging increases surface area and oxygen-containing functional groups, altering pollutant adsorption behavior and potentially increasing environmental risks.